1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a sample dispenser and method which allows a consumer to test products, especially flowable foods and personal care liquid products, prior to purchase in a retail establishment.
2. The Related Art
Retail stores and especially the department and specialty cosmetic stores have counters displaying open packages. These allow consumers to test products. Some of these products are delivered in wide mouth jars. Others are packaged in less product exposed containers. Usually there is very little supervision in the sampling. Chances are high for microbial contamination.
Still another issue is the scarcity of shelf space. Retailers prefer to use shelf space for purchasable product rather than for bulky non-revenue generating sample dispensers.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0294479 A1 (Spttosanti et al.) discloses progress in providing an on-shelf sample dispenser with a combined merchandising unit product display. There are some drawbacks with this technology. Prime is the difficult logistics of providing a refill bladder or pouch. These refills need to be custom manufactured. Low unit volumes and specialty sourcing mean extra costs.
Accordingly, there is a need for sample dispensers for a retail environment that can readily be refilled. Moreover, there also is a need for a more efficient, less wasteful and quicker mechanism in replacing one product variant for another within the same sample dispensing system.